


on your own you won't survive

by Spannah339



Series: Sun and Moon AU [20]
Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon), Tangled (2010)
Genre: Death, Emotional Manipulation, Gen, Mother Gothel's A+ Parenting, SHOW DOWN TIME LETS GO
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:22:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25778863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spannah339/pseuds/Spannah339
Summary: The stones were rough on her bare feet as Rapunzel ran through the city, heart tight. Eugene ran ahead of her, leading the way towards the bridge, and looking at him brought back the swirling emotions of what had almost been.She didn’t have time to work through what had happened in that quiet moment on the water. Cass was in trouble.
Relationships: Cassandra & Rapunzel (Disney: Tangled), Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider & Rapunzel, Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider/Rapunzel, Rapunzel & Varian (Disney)
Series: Sun and Moon AU [20]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1823434
Comments: 11
Kudos: 104





	on your own you won't survive

The stones were rough on her bare feet as Rapunzel ran through the city, heart tight. Eugene ran ahead of her, leading the way towards the bridge, and looking at him brought back the swirling emotions of what had  _ almost been _ . 

She didn’t have  _ time _ to work through what had happened in that quiet moment on the water. Cass was in  _ trouble _ . 

Owl was flying above them, scouting ahead to try and find any sign of Cass. Pascal gripped tightly to Rapunzel’s shoulder. 

Eugene stopped suddenly, pressing himself into a dark ally. He grabbed Rapunzel’s hand as she skidded past, pulling him beside her and pressing a finger to his lips. They stood, hearts beating, waiting as a squadron of guards moved passed. 

“Do you think the guards took her?” Rapunzel asked once they had moved on. She had noticed Cass’ nervous looks at the uniformed men when they first entered the city - perhaps she knew something about them that Rapunzel didn’t. 

Eugene frowned, peering around the corner to make sure the coast was clear before slipping out, beginning to walk quickly through the streets. Rapunzel moved to catch up, glancing up at where Owl was still circling. 

“Not sure,” Eugene said in answer to her question. “I don’t think they would have a reason to, really.” 

Rapunzel couldn’t help but feel uneasy at that, and all her mother’s warnings about the outside world came crashing back down. What if Cassandra had been kidnapped by thugs? By bandits? What if Rapunzel had convinced her to leave and the very things Mother had warned would happen had? 

“This is my fault,” she whispered, not fully realizing that she had. Eugene paused, turning to face her. Rapunzel suddenly couldn’t meet his eyes. She should never have left the tower. This wouldn’t have happened if she had just stayed behind - stayed where it was  _ safe _ . 

“No, it’s not,” he said softly, reaching out to take her hand. For a moment, neither of them dared to move, the charged emotions from the boat still not fully faded. “Don’t blame yourself, Rapunzel.” 

“If I hadn’t convinced her to leave this wouldn’t have happened.” 

“Blaming yourself won’t achieve anything,” he said, and this time  _ he _ couldn’t meet her eyes. He turned, dropping her hand and beginning to move through the streets. Rapunzel paused a moment before following, the tightness in her chest stronger. 

There were still people about, talking cheerfully, the occasional lantern still drifting in the sky. It felt surreal, knowing that just moments ago she had been sitting on the boat, the lanterns all about her. Like a distant, beautiful dream she had been rudely awoken from. 

The world was so confusing. Mother had warned her about the darkness - the men who would try to take her, claim her, steal her away from her family. She had talked of the fear Rapunzel was feeling, the terror of being apart from her sister. 

But Mother had never mentioned how  _ beautiful  _ it could be - how thrilling, how wonderful the feeling of grass on her feet or singing with friends could be. Mother had never mentioned the rush of excitement running wild could bring, the glowing  _ warmth _ she felt whenever Eugene looked at her. 

How could Mother be so right about the world and yet so wrong? 

Owl led them in a swooping arc towards the bridge and soon they had left the city behind. Rapunzel’s legs were aching as they stepped back onto the grass and Owl swooped in to land on her outstretched arm. 

The ducked into the trees, away from the road in case any guards moved passed. 

“Where could she be?” Rapunzel whispered. Pascal chirped softly, clambering onto her head as though that would help him see. 

“I don’t know, Blondie,” Eugene said. He shifted closer, eyes full of concern. “We don’t even know who took her -” 

“She has to be somewhere!” Rapunzel hissed. She wasn’t going to give up. She would hunt all night if she had to - Cass  _ needed her help _ . 

“I know, I know,” Eugene said. “But rushing blindly into things isn’t going to help.” He paused, opening his mouth and shutting it again, seeming hesitant to speak. 

“Psst.” 

A noise came from in the bushes and Rapunzel turned, frying pan held out, eyes narrowed. Eugene shifted, his hand drifting to where Cass’ sword sat on his belt. A moment later, a familiar, masked face appeared, slipping out of the bushes. 

“Atilla!” she cried, lowering the pan and rushing to give him a brief hug. 

“ _ How _ do you know his  _ name? _ ” Eugene demanded, crossing his arms. Rapunzel grinned, pulling away from Atilla. 

“Do you know where Cass is?” she asked quietly. 

“That’s why I’m here,” he said. “I saw her - passed near the Snuggly Duckling a half hour ago.” 

“Is she okay?” Rapunzel asked. Attila shifted, looking down. 

“She was with the old lady - her mother, I think. They’re always at the Duckling together. Looked like she was in trouble.” 

A strange mix of relief and fear blossomed in Rapunzel’s chest. Cass was  _ alive _ , and she was with  _ Mother _ , not some evil man who was going to kill or hurt her. Cass was  _ alive _ . 

But the fear followed, the fear that  _ Mother had found out _ . They had  _ never _ left the tower before - Mother wasn’t supposed to find out. Rapunzel had  _ no idea _ what Mother would do to Cass as punishment. 

“Rapunzel?” Eugene asked softly. She blinked, shaking her thoughts back. She needed to get back to the tower - if Mother was angry, she wanted to be there so the anger wasn’t solely focused on Cass. Besides, it was mostly her fault they had left - she couldn’t leave Cass to take the fall. 

“We have to find her,” she said and Eugene nodded. “Thanks, Attila.” 

As she spoke, the ground suddenly shuddered. Rapunzel let out a small squeak of fear, latching onto Eugene’s arm as the ground shook under her feet. Eugene stumbled a pace, regaining his balance and helping her to regain her’s as the ground settled. 

“What was tha -” she began, but another shudder nearly knocked her off her feet. This time, a black rock began to shoot out of the ground, a faint blue glow to it. 

It felt… familiar. 

She stepped forward and the glow became stronger. For a moment, she reached out, wanting to touch, wanting to know what it was. 

_ Pain. Anger. Rage. Grief. Their fault. I’m sorry. They will  _ **_pay_ ** . 

The strength of the emotions radiating from the rock almost knocked her back a pace. It was  _ him _ . He was so  _ lost _ and for a moment, she forgot all about Cass. 

Then Eugene grabbed her arm and pulled her back, away from the rock, a strange, half terrified expression on his face. 

“That’s bad, glowing black rocks is bad!” he said, a hint of panic in his voice. “We need to stay away from glowing black rocks.” 

“But it’s -” she began, but something made her stop. If Eugene knew it was him, he would want to go, would want to run to his brother. But Cassandra needed help - and Rapunzel was terrified to go alone. “Okay, yeah, black rocks bad,” she said, letting Eugene pull her away from the rocks. 

“ _ We’re coming _ ,” she promised silently to him, wherever he was. “ _ We’re coming, just hold on a little longer _ .” 

They had only made it a few paces before something nickered loudly behind them. Rapunzel turned as the ground shuddered again, more black rocks appearing. Maximus was running towards them and she stopped to let him catch up. 

“Max! I’m sorry, we left you behind,” she said, catching his face and rubbing his nose. He snorted, shaking his head and prancing forward a few paces. “What is it?” 

“Hey, Blondie, we need to get a move on,” Eugene said, nodding back towards the city. Rapunzel followed his gaze and through the trees could make out soldiers, marching over the bridge. She sucked in a breath, eyes wide as she glanced at Eugene. 

“Max?” she asked and he snorted, turning so she could more easily clamber onto her back. “They’re after the rocks, aren’t they?” she asked. He snorted a soft affirmative and once again she felt a guilty urge to chase after them, to find their source, to  _ help him _ . 

But Cass was her  _ sister _ and she needed to help her sister first. 

Eugene, after exchanging glares with the horse, leapt up behind her and suddenly, he was very close. 

“We can distract them for you,” Attila said from where he stood a few paces away. “You go save her.”

“Thank you,” Rapunzel called, heart warm for Attila and the other pub thugs. Mother was wrong about them. 

Mother was wrong about a lot of things, she was beginning to realize. 

Eugene gathered the reins in his hand and like a shot they were off. Rapunzel couldn’t help but let out a small noise of fear, leaning against Eugene and gripping his arms. Max was moving faster than she had ever moved before and as she grew used to it, she began to enjoy it, enjoy the thrill of the wind rushing through her hair. 

But the worry and swirling emotions didn’t let her enjoy the ride for long. Cassandra was in trouble. Had Mother captured her? Was Mother going to hurt her? 

She may not know much, but Rapunzel was beginning to wonder if Mother  _ did _ know best. Mother loved them, yes - but her love was different. It wasn’t the bond she and Cassandra shared. It wasn’t Pascal’s patient face as she poured her heart out to him. It wasn’t Owl, swooping frantically ahead of them. 

It wasn’t Eugene, whom she barely knew but felt like she did, who was warm against her back and who Rapunzel never wanted to be apart from again. 

They left Max outside the cave, snorting nervously and pacing, as they moved into the clearing. The tower stood, solid and dark in the night sky and Rapunzel suddenly felt  _ terrified _ . 

Mother was up there. So was Cass. 

“You okay?” Eugene asked as she froze, staring up at the single light high in the window of the tower. It felt strange, looking up at it, knowing the inside intimately, but barely anything about the exterior. It felt strange, knowing that Mother and Cassandra were up there, just as they were most nights, and she was down here. 

Everything felt  _ wrong _ and she didn’t know why. Didn’t know how to make it right again. But maybe it had never  _ been _ right to begin with. 

“I don’t know,” she said quietly. Eugene reached for her hand and she gave it to him, closing her eyes and letting his presence give her strength. “Come on,” she said, marching firmly towards her home. 

The tower rose high above them, and Rapunzel resisted the urge to shout for Cass. If Mother was up there, and if Cass was in trouble, announcing their arrival wouldn’t help anyone. Instead, she directed Owl, watching as he circled up the building and flew back down to her. 

He hooted a soft affirmative as he settled on her arm again and Rapunzel took a deep breath. 

They were there. 

“How do you usually get up?” Eugene asked, craning his neck.

“With my hair,” Rapunzel admitted. 

“How did  _ they _ get up then?” he asked quietly. “Also wow, you pull them up  _ with your hair _ ?” 

Rapunzel shrugged, beginning to move around the base of the tower, Owl lifting off into the air again. 

“It’s not that bad, really,” she said. Eugene snorted, beginning to move in the opposite direction. 

“Hey, Blondie,” he called a moment later. “Here.” 

She ran lightly along the grass to join him, where he was leaning into a small entrance, overgrown rocks pulled away from the tower wall. A staircase moved up into the darkness, and Rapunzel took a deep breath. 

“You ready?” Eugene asked. 

“Not really,” Rapunzel said quietly and stepped inside. 

It was dark as she moved, one hand in front of her. Cobwebs clung to her fingers and the stone was hard against her feet but she kept moving, Eugene’s soft breathing behind her spurring her on. 

A glint of light appeared and she slowed, carefully making her way towards it. The light shone through the roof and she carefully placed a hand on the rough wood, peering through the gap to look into the tower. 

It looked much the same as it always did, and Rapunzel felt a small clench of emotions. Had she really only left yesterday? It felt like a lifetime ago, like everything had changed. 

Then she caught a flash of black hair in the corner of her vision. Twisting, she could just make out Cass, lying on the floor, her eyes closed, her hands tied together near her face. 

“Cass!” Rapunzel cried, pushing open the trapdoor without thinking. She scrambled into the tower, rushing to her sister’s side. 

But she didn’t make it all the way - a rough hand gripped her arm in an iron clench, pulling her away from Cassandra. She twisted to see her mother’s face, eyes flashing, anger clear. 

“ _ There _ you are, you foolish girl,” she snarled and Rapunzel had  _ never _ seen her this  _ angry _ before. 

“Mother,” she gasped, trying to pull her arm free. “Mother, please, you’re hurting me.” 

“Oh, I’m hurting you?” Gothel demanded, dragging her away from Cassandra’s still form, away from the trapdoor. “ _ What _ do you think I felt when I returned home to find you both  _ gone _ . I was so worried, my flower.” 

For a moment, Rapunzel hesitated in her struggles. Of  _ course, _ Mother had been worried, of  _ course, _ Mother had a right to be angry at them for leaving. But then she glanced back at Cassandra, at the stillness of her sister and the determination returned. 

“What did you do to Cass?” she demanded, trying to pull her arm away again. 

“Cassandra was a foolish girl,” Mother said. She finally let Rapunzel go, tossing her down against the staircase. “She should have known better than to take you out of the tower.” 

“Leave her alone.” 

Rapunzel shook her slightly dizzy head, gripping the bannister and looking past her mother to see Eugene, standing above the trapdoor. His eyes were hard, Cassandra’s sword in his hand. Mother just smiled at his appearance, laughing softly. 

“And who is  _ this _ ?” she asked, mocking glee in her voice. Rapunzel pulled herself to her feet, leaning heavily against the stairs, trying to keep her heartbeat steady. 

“Don’t,” she whispered, and she wasn’t sure who she was talking to. 

“Rapunzel, you didn’t tell me you’d  _ met someone _ .” Mother’s voice was light, mocking as she moved towards Eugene. “A wanted thief, I’m so  _ proud _ , darling.” Something flashed in her hand and Rapunzel felt a rush of fear. 

The next moment things happened so quickly Rapunzel could barely breathe. A knife flashed in in Mother’s hand. Eugene’s eyes flickered. Rapunzel moved, lunging across the room and grabbing her mother’s hands. The knife skittered out of her grasp, across the room to land near the still open window and Eugene stumbled back, eyes wide. 

“Rapunzel!” Mother snapped, pulling her hand back. Rapunzel was shaking but she clenched her fists and stepped back, facing her mother with fire in her eyes. 

“Leave him alone,” she snarled. 

“Oh, I see how it is,” Mother said, eyes flashing. She stepped forward, reaching out a hand to cup Rapunzel’s cheek, to run down Rapunzel’s hair. Rapunzel glared up at her, and suddenly, Eugene’s hand was in her’s and part of her unwound. She clung to Eugene as she glared up at her mother. 

“Mother, please,” she began, trying to keep her voice even. 

“She’s not your mother,” Eugene said softly, quietly, beside her. 

No. 

That couldn’t be true. 

It had always just been her, Mother and Cassandra. 

But somehow, deep inside, she knew it was true. 

The mosaic in the town square flashed back into her mind and she took a quick breath and everything snapped into place with shocking clarity. 

The lanterns. 

The lost princess. 

The  _ stolen _ princess whose parents released lanterns for on her birthday every year.

She couldn’t breathe for a moment and then Eugene squeezed her hand and she was back in the present, her mother standing before her, eyes narrowed. 

“I’m the lost princess,” she said softly, and speaking it aloud made the world shift. 

Mother had kept her here for a reason - not to protect her, not to keep her safe, not even because of love. Mother had kept her here to  _ use _ her, and anger burned solid in her chest. 

“ _ What _ did you say?” Mother asked, her voice sharp. Rapunzel squeezed Eugene’s hand, stepping forward. 

“I’m the lost princess,” she said, her voice clear, confident. 

She had been  _ stolen _ . Taken from her family, stolen away from a life she could have had. 

She had been  _ used _ . Used to keep an angry old woman alive, healthy, beautiful. 

She wasn’t going to let it happen anymore. 

“Oh, come  _ on _ , Rapunzel,” Mother - no, not Mother,  _ Gothel  _ \- said, waving a hand dismissively. “Lost Princess, what on earth are you on about?” 

“No,” Rapunzel said, refusing to listen. Refusing to hear. “You have lied to me my  _ whole life _ . I’m not going to let you do it anymore.” 

“Not going to  _ let me _ . Rapunzel, you’re being foolish. You belong with me, child.” 

“I belong  _ anywhere else _ but with you,” Rapunzel hissed. She belonged with Cassandra. She belonged with her parents - her  _ real _ parents. She belonged with Eugene. She belonged with her other half, whoever he was, wherever he was (she would find him, she  _ would _ .)

She was clutching Eugene’s hand tight, and he returned the squeeze. 

“I’m done living your lie,” she said quietly. 

Gothel’s face changed, an expression of hate flashing across it, more intense than anything Rapunzel had ever seen. 

“You want me to be the bad guy? Fine, now I’m the bad guy,” she snarled. With a flurry of movement, she pulled something out of her dress, flinging it forward. Before Rapunzel could register what it was, something slamming into her from behind and she found herself on the ground, liquid sizzling on the wood around her. 

“Cass!” she cried, recognising her sister on top of her. She grinned, rolling off Rapunzel and Eugene, hands still tied in front of her. 

Mother had retrieved the knife and with a start of fear, Rapunzel realized she was too close to Cassandra. She moved to stand, but stepped on her hair and jerked down again. 

“Cassandra!” Eugene shouted, flinging the sword. Cass caught it in both her hands, skillfully blocking the blow from Gothel and skipping back, slashing wildly. 

Time froze for a second and Rapunzel cried out, unable to move. 

The sword spun, shifted and stabbed into Mother’s chest. 

Mother staggered back, skin wrinkling, sagging, ageing as she did, gasping. 

Rapunzel reached out, eyes wide, heart beating rapidly. 

Mother stumbled against the window and a twin blur of green and brown slammed into her as Owl and Pascal rammed against her. 

Rapunzel could do nothing but watch as her Mother staggered back. 

As Mother fell out the window. 

With a clatter, Cassandra dropped her sword, hands shaking. Rapunzel rushed to the window, staring down, head spinning. She sat heavily on the window seat, suddenly unable to breathe. 

Mother was  _ gone _ . 

Cass looked up at her, unshod tears shimmering in her eyes. 

“I - I didn’t mean,” she began, but Rapunzel didn’t answer, only rushed forward and puller her sister into a hug, burying her face in Cassandra’s shoulder. 

Cass’ hands, still bound, pressed against her chest as they leaned into each other, holding each other, comforting each other. And for a moment, that was all that mattered. 

**Author's Note:**

> VARIAN'S COMING I PROMISE!!! 
> 
> Alsooo, if y'all have any questions about this au - maybe about characters who haven't been in it very much, behind the scenes things, snippets into our thoughts about certain scenes, scenes we've wanted to write but haven't got round to etc - let us know! We'll be doing a q&a post at SOME POINT (Not sure when, exactly, still got a few fics until then) and would love to hear from you! Either drop a comment on any of the s&m fics (mention it's for the q&a), or hit us up on tumblr! (I'm @woogwoo-wren and zeeb is @softgreysweaters)
> 
> Thank you for all your comments and support on this, by the way! We've loved every interaction we've had so far and can't wait for many more!


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